Eerie Escapes: Haunted Hotels

Stanley Kubrick's the Shining makes winter resort living seem completely terrifying. Creepy twin girls roam the hallways, the elevators gush blood, and you don't ever want to go into Room 237. Although the fictional story of the Shining sprung from the mind of Stephen King, it all started with the author's visit to the Stanley Hotel, a historic Colorado site that claims its fair share of paranormal activity. It's not the only hotel with ghostly guests...

The Stanley Hotel (1-4): Although the interiors of the film version of The Shining were shot on a sound stage, Stephen King's original inspiration for the novel came from a stay in Room 217 at this famous hotel in Estes Park, Colorado. Like the Overlook, the Stanley has hosted lots of famous guests, and it has its own haunted room, #418.

Myrtles Plantation (5-6): Advertised as "one of America's most haunted homes," the Myrtles Plantation in St. Francisville, Louisiana is a 212-year-old mansion with 20 rooms. Reported ghost sitings include several women and children—most notably "Chloe," a former slave of the plantation who was hanged for reportedly poisoning the mistress and children of the house.

The Queen Mary (7-10): The Queen Mary—an ocean liner docked in Long Beach, California—serves as a historic hotel and tourist attraction. Ghosts are said to linger in the empty first-class Art Deco swimming pool, and the ship offers tours and even "recreations" of some of its most famous hauntings.